Remembering 9/11/01 seven years later
When the first plane hit the World Trade Center in Manhattan, I was on the subway. Coincidentally, my office at the time was in the financial district and little did I know what I was getting into on that day. When I emerged from the subway, I noticed all of these people standing around and looking up. When I looked, all I saw was a gapping hole with smoke billowing out of the World Trade Center. It was surreal to say the least.
As people were around me talked about what might have happened, in the back of my head, I asked myself, "Was this planned?... and if so, who planned it?" At about that time, the second plane hit which gave me my answer. At that point we all screamed and stepped back. I called up to the office, told my assistant to go home and I began my walk uptown, not wanting to try the subway. I didn't see either tower tumble to the ground but at that point, it didn't matter. I knew we were being attacked. As I made my way uptown, I noticed the lines forming at all of the pay phones since cell service wasn't operable. I noticed how quiet it actually was and how people's faces were long and still... racing inside but utter shock on the outside. I made my way to where my now husband was working... we dated in college but broke up when I decided to move back to DC and join my Mother's Republican strategy shop but had recently met back up after my return to New York. 9/11 was a horrible day but it did bring New Yorkers, our country and the world together in addition to solidifying my relationship with my husband.
That brings me to an article that I came across today about PTSD happening to between 35,000 - 70,000 people who lived through 9/11/01. As most readers know, I have a brother who served in three wars and after coming home from Iraq the last time, developed PTSD. One of my goals for this blog/vlog is to create awarness of this disease and to let people know who have it that there is help out there. This is a condition that can strike anyone who has been through a traumatic experience... not just war. Having lived through 9/11 close up in lower Manhattan, I know deep down that to be true. If you haven't hugged your kids, called your parents or told your borther, sister, husband, wife, friend that you love them... today's the day.
As people were around me talked about what might have happened, in the back of my head, I asked myself, "Was this planned?... and if so, who planned it?" At about that time, the second plane hit which gave me my answer. At that point we all screamed and stepped back. I called up to the office, told my assistant to go home and I began my walk uptown, not wanting to try the subway. I didn't see either tower tumble to the ground but at that point, it didn't matter. I knew we were being attacked. As I made my way uptown, I noticed the lines forming at all of the pay phones since cell service wasn't operable. I noticed how quiet it actually was and how people's faces were long and still... racing inside but utter shock on the outside. I made my way to where my now husband was working... we dated in college but broke up when I decided to move back to DC and join my Mother's Republican strategy shop but had recently met back up after my return to New York. 9/11 was a horrible day but it did bring New Yorkers, our country and the world together in addition to solidifying my relationship with my husband.
That brings me to an article that I came across today about PTSD happening to between 35,000 - 70,000 people who lived through 9/11/01. As most readers know, I have a brother who served in three wars and after coming home from Iraq the last time, developed PTSD. One of my goals for this blog/vlog is to create awarness of this disease and to let people know who have it that there is help out there. This is a condition that can strike anyone who has been through a traumatic experience... not just war. Having lived through 9/11 close up in lower Manhattan, I know deep down that to be true. If you haven't hugged your kids, called your parents or told your borther, sister, husband, wife, friend that you love them... today's the day.
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